Rain is in the forecast for LA: Here’s what you need to know

Have you been soaking up the sun lately, confident that the downpours of the very wet winter are behind us? Not so fast. Meteorologists expect rain to return to Los Angeles this week, with precipitation probably arriving early Tuesday morning. Here’s what to know about this week’s wet weather (don’t worry, it probably won’t be too bad).

When it will arrive

According to the National Weather Service, rain could start as early as this evening, but it’s more likely to start around 5 a.m. A second storm could bring additional showers Wednesday, with a slight chance of thunderstorms as well.

How much precipitation will we get?

After torrential rains earlier in the year wreaked havoc on the city’s infrastructure and triggered evacuations in recent burn areas, this latest round of precipitation should be more manageable. While Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will get a good-sized dump, coastal Los Angeles County is only expected to get around one-third of an inch of rain by Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday could bring stronger rains, with about a half-inch predicted in coastal and valley areas. While the showers and possible thunderstorms will be far from the strongest of the season, they will certainly do enough to slick the roads, so drive safely.

Will it trigger flooding?

Probably not. NWS Weather Specialist Stuart Seto tells Curbed there’s very little risk of flooding or mudslides in the LA area, though that could change if thunderstorms strike Wednesday.

What does this mean for the drought?

The new round of precipitation should also add to the area’s impressive rainfall totals this winter, which are at 169 percent of their normal average between October and February. During that time, 18.5 inches have fallen in Downtown LA, and the state’s drought map is now looking better than it has in years.

Will Southern California be drought-free by the end of the rainy season (which ends in April)? We’ll just have to wait and see.

• This is the best-looking drought map we’ve seen in years [Curbed LA]
• How California's next superstorm could affect LA's water supply [Curbed LA]
• 9 wild images of the massive storms pummeling LA [Curbed LA]